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Prevalence of Plastic Debris in Beach Sediments of Sutrapada, Saurashtra Coast of Gujarat, India
Summary
This seasonal study of beach sediments at two sites on the Saurashtra coast of Gujarat, India quantified macro-, meso-, and microplastics, finding that fishing activity, small-scale fisheries, and tourism were primary contributors to plastic pollution. Fragment and fiber shapes dominated across size categories, with the study providing baseline data for formulating regional plastic waste management strategies.
This study evaluates plastic debris occurrence and physical characteristics from selected stations in beach sediments at Sutrapada, Saurashtra coast of Gujarat, India, from November 2020 to April 2021.Sutrapada Chowpatty (Station 1) and Sutrapada Bandar (Station 2) were selected for beach sediment sample collection.The abundance of macro-plastics, meso-plastics, and microplastics in stations 1 and 2 ranged between 2.9 to 8.5 and 3 to 10.1 items/m , 5.5 to 10.1 and 3.55 to 8.72 items/m , 4.33 to 20.33 and 6.83 to 16.33 items/100g, 2 2 respectively.At Stations 1 & 2, the dominant macro-plastic shape, size and colour were fragment and fibre, >2.5 cm and 5 cm and white and blue, respectively.At Stations 1 and 2, the dominant meso-plastic shape, size and colour were fragment and thermocoel, 1 cm -1.5 cm and 1.5 -2 cm (both stations) and white and yellow, respectively.Stations 1 and 2, dominated by microplastic shapes, size and colour, were fibre, 1-2 mm & 2-4 mm and black for both stations, respectively.These results could be attributed to fishing, small-scale fisheries business, and tourism activities in a coastal town.The present study provides the origins of plastic waste in coastal areas, laying the groundwork for formulating sustainable, enduring plans and strategies to manage and control plastic pollution in the coastal environment.